Things I've Learned Homeschooling- Part Five

Copywork.

My children are aweful spellers. ;) So am I! It took me a long time to find out the simple solution (other than making sure I have a good, updated "Spell Check" program on the computer).

Just like in the olden days, have them COPY.

I spent lotsa money on spelling programs. Lists? My kids would memorize the lists, get them all right on the test, and then proceed to misspell every other word they wrote in a letter, composition, or story.

I tried unspelling programs... write words with Chalk on the sidewalk. Use shaving cream on the bathroom walls. Spell in Jello.

It was a lot of fun. Did it help them to learn to spell? Perhaps they'd spell every word wrong, instead of every other word, if I hadn't used the jello.

Scrapping the many pricey Language ARTS program (what's more artistic than jello?), I decided to have my little guy copy songs from the Hymnal.

Why the Hymnal? Well, we get a Religion lesson (as long as we avoid Weston Priory), a Spelling lesson, a Handwriting lesson, and an English lesson all in one. And those words in the Hymnals are broken into Syllables. Had to help.

The little guy wrote the words to Oh Holy Night from Lent until Three Kings Day. Just copied verse one, each day. Not a huge bunch of copying... just the same stuff, every day.

He said to me "I finally know how to spell NIGHT! I remember!" and then he launched off into all the other words that were similar. Wow... mission accomplished! And it just took one borrowed Hymnal from Church (yes, I got permission).

There are drawbacks. I asked him to spell 'Holy' and he said "H, O, Dash, L, Y"

He's been doing We Three Kings this week, and next week we move to All Things Bright and Beautiful